Nathan Fillion

I admire anyone who works as a waiter or waitress, because I know it’s not easy work.

Our small town only has one tiny restaurant and, while growing up, I can remember my sister Pam trying her hand as a waitress during the summer of her sophomore year in high school.

After just one summer, she decided to return to working in the farm fields with me rather than do waitress work.

On Monday, I wrote in my daily offBeat entertainment column about "Waitress," the great film that brought Andy Griffith out of retirement.

It’s a smaller film from 20th Century Fox’s independent film division, written and directed by the late Adrienne Shelly, who also stars in it. Griffith’s role is definitely more than just a cameo.

The movie is the story of a waitress named Jenna, played by Keri Russell, who is unhappily married and busy squirreling away money. She has a wonderful hidden talent for baking pie, and she’s been socking away her tips and pie contest prize money to start a new life so she can leave her husband Earl, played by Jeremy Sisto. But her life at Joe’s Diner takes a few sudden and interesting turns.

Still need some convincing about why you should see this film?

Not only is this one worth the price of admission but, coming up, The Times has teamed up with The Caring Place, the shelter for victims of domestic violence, for a charity benefit using a pie theme and a special screening of this great new movie.

It’s at 7 p.m. Aug. 30 at the classic The Art Theatre in Hobart. I’ll be there serving up food and pie from the one-and-only Marilyn’s Bakery at the 5:30 p.m. reception before the film.

And, following the film, Times movie columnist Jim Gordon will lead the audience in a short film discussion.

Tickets are $25. Seating is limited. Call (219) 942-1074 or (219) 464-0840, ext. 100.

Now, on to today’s fun "Waitress"-inspired contest.

I’ve assembled an amazing gift basket (actually, a large waitress tray), brimming with fun items in homage to the "on your feet" art of waitressing.

Valued at $200, the basket includes Starbucks coffee, coffee cups, a $50 gift certificate from Baker’s Square for a selection of your favorite pies, a collector’s DVD featuring episodes of one of my favorite TV shows "Alice," starring Linda Lavin as Alice and Polly Walker as Flo, a Times apron, straw and napkin holders, a "Mel’s Diner Home of Mel’s Famous Chili" T-shirt, a DVD of the 1945 Joan Crawford movie "Mildred Pierce" (Joan worked as a waitress famous for baking great pies), and assorted other goodies.

NOW ... for the contest question to be entered in the free drawing for the gift basket:

Name one of Flo the waitress’ favorite catch phrases that she used to verbally sling at her boss Mel, while he was slinging hash at Mel’s Diner? (See my offBeat column today on C6 for some great "Alice" hints and memories.)

To try your chance and be entered in the free drawing for this fun gift basket, simply call my voicemail at (219) 933-4173 before midnight tonight and leave your name, the town you live in, your phone number and the correct answer, and I’ll print the lucky winner’s name in my Saturday morning daily offBeat column.

This contest is not open to Times employees and their immediate families.

Speaking of waitresses and restaurants, today’s featured recipe is one I’ve been trying to get for more than a year.

It’s the signature salad dressing recipe served at Annie’s Cafe in Crete and the one that was enjoyed by so many at my birthday tea earlier this month. Make sure to clip and save this one.

Annie’s Cafe Old-Fashioned Celery Seed Salad Dressing

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup vinegar

3 tablespoons grated onion

2 teaspoons celery seed

1 teaspoon salt

Dash black pepper

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 cup vegetable oil

* Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl and chill for a few minutes before serving on your favorite green salad.

Makes 2 cups.